Chilotrogus farsensis Keith 2003

Miessen, Geoffrey, Uliana, Marco & Keith, Denis, 2020, Review of the genus Chilotrogus Reitter (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae Rhizotrogini) in Iran with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4742 (1), pp. 181-193 : 188-190

Chilotrogus farsensis Keith 2003

( Figs. 3 , 31–34 , 35–39 , 46 , 47 )

Chilotrogus farsensis Keith, 2003: 92 (original description); Bezděk 2016: 258.

Type locality. “ Iran, prov. Fars, 12 Km S Kazan, 2550 m ” .

Type material examined. Paratype, 1♂ ( CDK), labelled: “ Iran, prov. Fars | 12 km S of Kazan [Kazyân = Qua- zian] 2550 [m.a.s.l] | 1.V.2000 | leg. Hentschel et Szabó [blue—printed] || Chilotrogus | farsensis | n. sp. | D. Keith det 2002 [red label, printed] || paratype [red label, printed] || coll: Nádai L. [printed]”; paratype, 1♀ ( CDK), labelled: “Iran—mer. occ. | Fars prov. 2500 m. | Zagros Mts. | Dasht Arzhan | 8- 10.6.1999 | L. Bieber leg. [printed] || paratype [red label, printed] || Chilotrogus | farsensis | n. sp. | D. Keith det 2002 [red label, printed]”.

Additional material examined (65 specimens). IRAN, Fars province : 1♂ Chah Chenar, Kazerun , 27.IV→ 1. V .1975, leg. L. T. Abal , COM ; 4♂♂ NW Straaz vill. Kákan, Yasüg , 3040N 5143E, 13. VI .1999, leg. Johanides, CRS; 7♂♂ and 5♀♀ same, but 13. VI .2003, CRS, IECA ; 1♂ Kákan, Yasüg , N30°42’ E51°38’, alt.: 2059→ 2315 m, 14.VII.2004, leg. P. Kabátek, CRS ; 2♂♂ Chesmedye Chenar, Komehr , 2892 m, N30°20.505 E51°57.324, 29. VI .2005, leg. L. Ábrahám, CLN; 2♂♂ and 1♀ Ganjegun , 17 km Komehr, N30°30.140’ E51°57.324’, 30. VI .2005, leg. L. Ábrahám, CLN; 1♂ Sangar vill., 40 km NW Shiraz,. VI .2011, leg. J. Simandl, CMU; 3 ♂♂ and 5♀♀ Pooladkaf, S.- E. Sepidar , 30.36688N 51.89993E, alt. 3100 m, 9. VI .2014, leg. & vendit: S. Murzin , CGM, CGS ; 1♀ W of Chelle- gah, Sepidan—Yasuj road, N30.29349° E51.92662°, alt.: 2000 m, 9. V .2016, Iran expedition 2016: Z.F. Fric, V . Hula & L. Purchart leg., IECA. Lorestan province: 1♂ Oshtoran Kuh, Saravand, Dorud , N33°22’33” E049°09’56”, alt.: 2000 m, light trap, 25→ 27. VI .2004, leg. Frisch, CDK; 1♂ 25 km NWW Dorud , 33°33’N 48°53’E, alt.: 1874 m, 8.VII.2004, leg. S. Kadlec, CRS ; 1♂ 10 km SW Dorud , 33°26’N 49°00’E, alt.: 1431 m, 9.VII.2004, leg. S. Kadlec, IECA ; 1♀ same but CRS ; 2♂ Darb-e Astaneh , alt. 1980 m, 28. VI .2005, COM . Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province : 1♂ Do Polan, Mashayekh distr. , 1800 m, 25. VI .2005, COM . Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad: 1♂ 30 km N. Sisakht , N31°09‘22“ E51°23‘21“, 10→ 12. V .1998, leg. G. Fábián & K. Székely, CLN; 1♂ Sisakht , 23. VI .2005, COM ; 1♂ and 1♀ Vazag , alt.: 2450 m, 30. VI .2005, leg. T. Hácz & G. Petrányi, CLN; 6♂♂ 10 km S.-E. Sepidar, env. Yasuj , 5→ 6. V .2007, leg. A. Klimenko, CGM, CGS; 13♂♂ and 1♀ Kuh-e-Dinar, 15 km N. Vazag , alt. 2350 m, N30°30,140‘ E51°42,373‘, at light, 12. VI .2007, leg. & CLN; 1♂ 6 km SW Yasuj , 30.591110N 51.514446E, alt. 2060 m, 26. V .2018, leg. S. Vassel, CSV.

Differential diagnosis. Habitus as in Fig. 3 . Easily recognizable among Iranian species for the shining integument, the absence of pilosity on pygidum (present in all other Iranian species), and the distinctive genitalia ( Figs. 35–39 ).

Distribution. Broadly distributed along the central region of the Zagros mountain range, so far recorded between about 1800 and 3100 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 47 ).

Remarks. The examination of a rather large series of Ch. farsensis allowed us to note some intraspecific variability in the morphology of male pronotum, especially in the outline in dorsal view and in the structure of lateral setation. The most extreme specimens seemed referable, at a first glance, to different taxa, but the existence of intermediate individuals (sometimes syntopic), and the regularity in the shape of aedeagus make evident that they belong to a single species. No evidence of relation between observed variability and geography emerged. Four individuals representative of this variability are illustrated in Figs. 31–34 , showing examples of:

- long ( Figs. 32, 33 ), medium long ( Fig. 31 ) and very short ( Fig. 34 ) lateral setation. In Fig. 34 some setae of the posterior half, although not broken, are barely emerging from the marginal crenulation of pronotum.

- denser ( Figs. 31–33 ) and scarcer ( Fig. 34 ) lateral setation, corresponding to more or less intense crenulation of the margin: (18 denticles per side in Fig. 32 ; 12 denticles per side in Fig. 34 ).

- lateral margins regularly rounded ( Fig. 32 ), more or less sinuated in the anterior half ( Figs. 31, 33, 34 ); anterior margin more ( Fig. 32 ) or less ( Fig. 34 ) narrow.

Figures

FIGURE 47. Known distribution of Iranian Chilotrogus Reitter, 1905, based on verified records.

FIGURES 1–4. Male habitus of Iranian Chilotrogus Reitter, 1905. 1, Ch. panotrogoides Reitter, 1905, specimen from Iran: Sarbijan (Shinagara); 2, Ch. matejiceki Miessen, Uliana & Keith, new species, paratype from Iran: Mijam; 3, Ch. farsensis Keith, 2003, specimen from 40 Km NW Shiraz, Sangar; 4, Ch. schoolmeestersi Miessen, Uliana & Keith, new species, holotype.

FIGURES 31–34. Chilotrogus farsensis Keith, 2003, variability of male pronotum. 31, 32, specimens from Iran: 15 Km N Vazag, Kuh-e-Dinar; 33, specimen from Iran: 17 Km from Komer; 34, specimen from Iran: 40 Km NW Shiraz, Sangar.

FIGURES 35–39. Male genitalia of Ch. farsensis Keith, 2003, topotypical paratype. 35, aedeagus (endophallic sclerite dissected), right lateral view; 36, same, dorsal view; 37, same, apical view; 38, endophallic sclerite, dorsal view; 39, same, right lateral view.

FIGURES 45, 46. Detail of pronotal punctures. 45, Ch. matejiceki Miessen, Uliana & Keith, new species, paratype from Iran: Mijam; 46, Ch. farsensis Keith, 2003, specimen from Iran: 15 Km N Vazag, Kuh-e-Dinar.

FIGURES 9–13. Male genitalia of Ch. panotrogoides Reitter, 1905, holotype. 9, aedeagus (endophallic sclerite dissected), right lateral view; 10, same, dorsal view; 11, same, apical view; 12: endophallic sclerite, dorsal view; 13, same, right lateral view.